Hawthorn Street was closed for two days last week after repair work caused its collapse.

United Utilities had already closed one side of the Wilmslow road using temporary traffic lights so they could work on a faulty electricity cable.

But the weight of the resulting traffic caused damage to the lane.

Resident Heidi Sumner, a member of the street’s Traffic Action Group (TAG), who are campaigning for traffic calming measures on the ‘rat run’, was at the scene.

Heidi said: "Overweight and wide vehicles cover half the road’s width and mount the pavements which are showing more signs of damage after last week’s maintenance.

"A site engineer expressed grave concern to me over the weight of vehicles using Hawthorn Street."

TAG was formed by Heidi, resident Elinor Mountford and Dr Jon Bell to lobby the council for a pedestrian crossing, 20mph speed limit, enforcement of the weight limit, the addition of a width limit, wider pavements and chicanes.

Police are working with the initiative Smiley SID to monitor traffic speeds.

Heidi added: "Hawthorn Street is unsuitable for the speed, volume and weight of traffic using it.

"We want the Highways Department to carry out a detailed geological survey."

A CEC spokesman said: "The excavation wasn’t properly supported.

"Vehicles passing close to the unsupported excavation caused damage to the edge of the hole creating the possibility of the hole collapsing.

"Consequently, we decided to close the road. United Utilities completed its repairs and reinstated the road. The road was reopened. No further investigations are being carried out."

A United Utilities spokesman said: "We had to carry out emergency repairs to an underground electricity cable after a number of customers lost their power.

"We needed to use traffic lights because the road is so narrow and a nearby section of road surface was damaged. We apologise for inconvenience caused."